Riders on the Storm
by Shadokat771
Summary: As a hurricane approaches, a murder brings out  skeletons from McGarrett's closet.Pt.1 of a series.
1. Chapter 1

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE**_: This is my first Hawaii Five-O fan fic. I fell in love with the show after two episodes. I only own 2 characters out of this, and they should be pretty easy to spot. Everyone else is owned by CBS and 101st Street Productions. Enjoy, comment (and maybe I'll write a sequel!) and remember, flames will be used to help barbeque the pork for the luau…

Holo lio ma ke 'ino

(Riders on the Storm)

By ShadoKat771

"Another day in paradise", Danny "Danno" Williams said, looking out over the beach full of vacationers and locals taking advantage of the near perfect weather. A breeze had sprung up, bringing a slight chill to the air.

His partner, Steve McGarrett, nodded, still looking out at the horizon where a line of clouds was becoming more visible. "You know as well as I do that can change in a moment", he replied as his cell phone began to ring.

"Or a phone call", Danno quipped.

"Governor", the taller man said into the small phone. As he listened, his expression became serious. He nodded. "Thank you. Keep me posted". He pressed a spot on the phone and ended the call. "They just upgraded that storm to a Tropical Storm", he said to his partner, nodding towards the horizon. "And they're calling it Unala. It's starting to look like it's going to go to hurricane strength in the next couple of days".

Danno nodded. "Is it heading our way?" He asked.

McGarrett shrugged. "Too far out right now to tell", he answered, his hazel eyes scanning the crowd as he spoke. "But right now, our concern is all the surfers heading in to catch the waves it's going to kick up. They're probably already here".

At that moment, the cell phone rang again. "McGarrett". His expression of slight annoyance changed when he heard the voice on the other end.

"Steve", the male voice was strained. "It's Cody. I'm over at Smitty's place in Haleiwa. There's trouble". There was a pause. "Smitty's dead".

"Stay put. We're on our way", McGarrett said as he got behind the wheel, almost not waiting for Danny to close the door on the passenger side before he gunned the engine and hit the lights.

"You gonna tell me who that was", Danny said as he hung on while McGarrett maneuvered the car through traffic, "or are we running the lights for fun, here?"

"That was Cody St. James", McGarrett replied. 'An old buddy of mine. He's at a mutual friend's house in Haleiwa, and there's trouble".

"And how do you _know_ there's trouble?" His partner asked.

"He sounded scared", was the reply. "Cody's an ex-SEAL. He moved here after his discharge to compete in big wave competitions. He doesn't _get _scared".

They arrived in front of a small, modest house a short distance from the beach, and the first thing they noticed was the lone figure leaning against the hood of a white Jeep trying to make a call on his cell phone.

He was tall, taller than McGarrett, dressed in green board shorts, a grey v-necked t shirt and flip flops, his longish dark hair partly covered by a blue bandana. He looked up when they pulled up beside him and lowered the cell phone. His expression was a mix of shock, disbelief and grief, but there was a hint of fear in his light blue eyes. "He's in the living room", he said before they asked, his voice slightly strained.

"Did you touch anything?" Danny asked.

St. James shook his head negatively. "Other than the door handle", he said, "no. I backed out as soon as I saw him and came out here to call Steve".

"Who were you calling just now?" The blond detective continued.

"Keka", the surfer replied, meeting McGarrett's sharp glance. "Only I can't raise her. It keeps going to her voice mail".

At Danny's questioning glance between the two men, McGarrett replied, "Keka Smith. Smitt—David Smith's ex wife".

"Then she's a suspect", Danny said.

"No", Cody said, shaking his head. "She was with me last night. I can vouch for her".

"Cody", McGarrett said, "That makes you a suspect, too".

"I know!" The taller man replied, a little sharper than he needed to. "That's why I'm _here_ instead of trying to find her. I'm giving you my full cooperation".

"Alright", Danny said, nodding. "You can start by meeting with us at our offices". He handed the taller man a card. "Do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars".

McGarrett added, "We'll find Keka". He moved closer to St. James and added in a quieter voice, "How long have you two been seeing each other?"

"Six months", was the taller man's equally quiet reply. "We've only been serious for one".

"We'll find her, Cody", McGarrett said in an earnest, quiet voice. "Don't worry. Just let us do our job here".

The tall man nodded, then got into his Jeep.

"Looks like a hurricane has already been through here", Danny said quietly after they had cleared the room. The place had clearly been ransacked. As he moved towards the kitchen area, he called out, 'Looks like he was expecting someone for breakfast, and it doesn't look like it was for a business partner". He paused, then added, "Unless maybe the business partner was female, and it was a different kind of business". When there was no response, he peered over the breakfast bar to where McGarrett was standing next to the body.

"Someone else was here", the dark haired detective said. "The body's been moved".

"But your friend St. James told us he didn't touch anything", Danny replied.

"He didn't", McGarrett continued, indicating a splotch near the blood pool that proved to be a small footprint. "That's a flip-flop print", he continued, "probably a woman's size five or six". He looked around the room. The prints were all over. "The ransacking happened after whoever found the body".

"_After_?" Danno echoed, looking around. "Wow".

Later, as they drove away from the scene, a call came in from the Governor's office saying that the tropical storm had been upgraded to a Category One hurricane, but an exact path was yet to be determined.

When that call ended, Danny's phone rang. "Syd", he said in answer, then paused. "Yeah, we just got the call from the Governor's office. It's now a Category One". He listened for a few moments, then said, "So who's helping you now? Keka?" He glanced at McGarrett, who was now suddenly interested in the conversation."What's her last name?"He frowned slightly. "Humor me". Another pause. "Knighthorse. Thanks. I'll call you when I can. It's kind of busy here right now".

He rung off and then looked over at McGarrett who was saying, "No, no, no!" and pounding the steering wheel in frustration.

"What?"Danny said defensively. "Her last name is Knighthorse, not Smith".

"Knighthorse is Keka Smith's maiden name!" McGarrett yelled. "She started using it again after the divorce. She runs a surf school just off Waikiki Beach", he continued in a calmer voice. "We went to school together". At Danny's look, he added, "We're old friends." He pounded the wheel again in urgency. "Call your friend back!"

Danny swore as he hit the redial. "Syd", he said after a moment, "Is Keka still there?" He looked at McGarrett, who glanced between him and the road. "Good. Tell her to meet us", he paused.

"At the hospital", McGarrett finished for him. "They'll need her to I.D. the body". He leaned closer and yelled towards the phone, "and tell her to turn her phone back on!"

Keka Knighthorse-Smith was waiting for them in the lobby of the hospital. She was shorter than Danny, tanned and athletically built, dressed in denim shorts and a bright Hawaiian print shirt and sandals, a pair of sunglasses holding back her curly, short, sun-streaked blond hair from her eyes.

"Steve", she said, standing when she saw them, her ocean colored eyes a mix of emotions. "What happened?"

"Keka, I'm sorry", McGarrett replied, giving the small woman a hug. "David's dead. And it looks like murder". He felt her knees buckle and caught her before she fell.

"Murder?" She echoed, allowing him to guide her back into the chair. She looked up at him suddenly, her eyes wide. "Oh my god", she said quietly. "The little psycho wasn't lying".

Both men were instantly alert, a quick glance between them.

"Psycho?" Danny asked. "What psycho?"

Keka watched as the blond detective sat down on the other side of her. She then took a deep breath and began. "Smitty's girlfriend", she said. "Or at least, she _thinks_ she's his girlfriend. She latched onto him at the Triple Crown last year, and never let go. He's been trying to break it off for the last few weeks, but she's tried every trick in the book to keep him around, from saying she's pregnant to threatening suicide".

At that moment, a nurse approached them. "Mrs. Smith", he said. "I'm sorry for your loss, but they're ready for you now".

"A moment, please", McGarrett replied. He turned back to face Keka and found she was smiling slightly.

"I haven't been _Mrs. Smith_ for over a year and a half", she said, standing. As the men stood with her, she added, "Would you mind coming with me, Steve? I'd appreciate the backup".

"Of course", the taller man replied, glancing at his partner, and nodding.

"Ms. Knighthorse", Danny asked, "do you know the name of this sort of girlfriend?"

"Delaine", Keka answered. "Delaine Johnson. I think she lives in Mokulela, but I can't swear to it".

Danny nodded. "Thank you", he said. He looked at McGarrett. "I'll put out a BOLO on her".

McGarrett nodded in agreement. "And call Chin. See if he can get anything on her, too".

"That's him". Her quiet voice seemed to echo in the room. She watched as the technician replaced the sheet and slid the body back into its cubicle and closed the door, then turned and left the room, with McGarrett following her.

She stopped a short distance down the hall. "He", she began, and then paused. "He, um, called me in the middle of dinner with Cody last night, because he wanted to tell me he had finally figured out a way to break it off with Delanie. He was going to have her over for breakfast this morning to tell her it was over".

"What time was that?" McGarrett asked quietly.

She turned to look up at him. "Around 8, 8:30pm or so", she replied. "Cody and I were trying out that new Thai place".

"Did you hear from him any time after that?" The detective continued.

"Once", Keka answered. "Really late. After Midnight, I think." She frowned with the memory. "We were just getting—"she stopped short and blushed.

"It's alright, Keka", McGarrett said quietly, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Cody already told me".

"Oh", she said. After a moment, she said, "It was a really strange call, too. He asked to talk to Cody, and whatever it was about, it was a mood killer, because Cody was upset and wouldn't talk about it".

The detective nodded, then asked, "Why did you turn your phone off, Keka?"

The blond woman snorted. "Delanie called at 8am", she answered. "Woke us up out of a sound sleep, going off on me because something had happened to Smitty and how Cody and I were somehow responsible". She paused. "She was calling every five minutes and making me nuts, so I shut off my phone. I'm going to have the number changed as soon as I can ". She looked up at McGarrett "Cody said he was going to go check it out", she continued, her expression worried, "but that was a few hours ago".

"He's fine", McGarrett said reassuringly. "He's over at my office right now." He watched as she relaxed. He studied her for a moment. "Are you going to be ok?"

She nodded. "Yeah", she said, smiling."I'll be ok. I just need to clear my head a bit. And secure the house."She looked up at him. "Is it as bad as they say it's going to be?"

"It's up to a Cat One now", he replied with a nod, "and probably strengthening as we speak. He was about to say more when his phone rang. "Yes, Governor", he said. His hazel eyes widened a bit as he listened. "That fast?" He listened again."Yes, ma'am. I'm on my way". As he rung off, he looked down at Keka. "The Weather Service just upgraded Unala to a Cat 3", he said, "but it's strengthening by the hour".

"Do they know its path?" The small woman asked with concern.

"Right now, it's still far enough out it could go either way," he replied. "Best case scenario has it passing a few hundred miles to the south", he hesitated.

"And the worst case scenario?" She prompted.

"It could blow right over us".

"Damn", she swore softly. "Iniki all over again". She looked up at him. "I've got to go. I've got to secure the house, make sure the school's ok, see if Syd needs more help—"

"It's ok", Steve said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Go. Do what you need to do. I'll make sure Cody contacts you. And call me if you need anything. "

She smiled up at him and gave him a hug. "Thank you", she said, "I will".

Rain was starting to fall as the two detectives began their drive back to headquarters. McGarrett punched a number into the car's phone as he pulled out onto the highway. "Cody", he said when the man answered, "we found Keka and she's fine". Both he and Danny heard the sigh of relief from the other end of the call. "I sent her home to secure your place before the storm gets worse". He glanced over at Danny. "She told me you had a conversation with Smitty last night that put you in a bad mood. What was it about?"

The surfer hesitated a moment before he replied. "He told me Esterhaus got out", he said finally.

McGarrett was momentarily stunned. "Mike Esterhaus?" He asked. "He's supposed to be serving 30 years for antiquities theft and manslaughter in San Diego. When did they parole him?"

"They didn't", St. James replied. "He escaped three days ago. Looks like he wants to make good on his threat".

"What threat?" Danny interrupted.

"It was the testimony of the three of us that put Esterhaus away", McGarrett said. "Before they took him away, he threatened Smitty, Cody and me".

Danny wiped a hand across his face. "And now it looks like he may have made good on at least part of that threat", he said.

There was a beep on the dashboard. "Cody", McGarrett said, "I've got another call coming in. Go home. Don't break any speed limits, but get home as quick as you can. Call me when you get there".

The second call was from Chin Ho. "We found Delaine Johnson", he said.

"Good", McGarrett replied, "Is she willing to cooperate with us?"

There was a pause at the other end, then, "She's dead, boss. Coroner says maybe a little more than an hour ago. Which was just after her last call to Keka Knighthorse".

McGarrett swore and turned the wheel sharply, causing tires to squeal in protest and the car to fishtail slightly on the slick pavement.

"What the-?" Danny sputtered as he grabbed for a hand hold.

"If Delaine Johnson is dead", McGarrett explained as he regained control of the car, "it means that Esterhaus isn't just coming after us. He's going after the ones we care about, too".

"And you just sent Keka over to ' ", Danny said.

"Yeah", McGarrett said in a tone that caused his partner to look at him.

"Uh, oh", the blond man said. "Something about that tone tells me that maybe you and the former Mrs. Smith are more than just old friends".

"We dated in high school", McGarrett replied quietly, punching the car into a higher speed.

"Got it", Danny said, and flipped the switch for the lights

"That isn't Cody's Jeep".

From a distance, they could see the small truck that was parked in front of the house, but the Jeep parked next to it wasn't white. They turned off the lights and pulled up next to the jeep just as two occupants were leaving. In an instant, both lawmen had their doors open and guns drawn.

"Esterhaus!" McGarrett yelled over the wind, rain and crashing waves. "Stop right there!"

The muscular man with the buzz cut stopped a few feet away and tightened his grip across Keka's chest, almost pulling her up off her feet. "Only long enough to make sure you get out of the way, McGarrett!" He shouted back.

They barely heard a third vehicle pull up alongside the silver Camaro, but they all heard the yell as Cody jumped out and started to run towards the two.

"Stop right there!" Esterhaus shouted, brandishing a gun. "Stop right there or I'll blow her brains out".

"Just take it easy!" McGarrett yelled back, keeping his gun trained on Esterhaus and waving back Cody with his free hand."Nobody's going anywhere!" He caught Keka's eye. She was scared, but calm and didn't move. He gave the briefest of nods, then said, "no one's going to blindside the quarterback here".

There was a moment where both Danny and Cody gave McGarrett a confused look, but he was still focused on the other two. He watched Keka's expression go from momentary confusion to recognition, then her eyes rolled up in her head and she went limp, causing Esterhaus to lose his grip on her and she fell to the ground. In that same instant, McGarrett fired one shot, hitting Esterhaus in the shoulder of the arm that held the gun, causing his return shot to go wild.

"Stay back!" McGarrett ordered Cody as he and Danny rushed to the fallen pair. Keka had not moved since she fell, but Esterhaus was trying to get up. He failed as Danny landed on his back.

"Do _not_ make me shoot you, too", the blond man said as he pulled out a pair of handcuffs from his back pocket and began fastening them on the other man's wrists. As he was doing this, he looked up at McGarrett. "Aren't you going to say it?" He asked.

"Say what?" The other man replied, distracted, then caught on. "Yeah. Book 'im, Danno". He then knelt down by the fallen woman and touched her shoulder. To his relief, her eyes opened and she began to sit up.

"Lucky for you I have a good memory", she said, smiling as he helped her to her feet. She looked at Danny and Cody who still wore confused expressions. "When he was quarterback of the football team back in high school", she explained, "There was a game where one of the opposing players blindsided him and he was down for a bit". She stopped and blushed. "I fainted".

"This trip down memory lane is nice", Danny said, "but can we get someplace a little more _dry_? And preferably farther inland? Unlike the rest of you, I haven't got the hang of surfing yet, and I do _not _want to be surfing to the mainland right now!"

McGarrett did a quick assessment. "We've got to take Esterhaus to Queens", he said. "You two need to meet us at HQ. We're going to need statements".

"At least they're safe", Danny said, his voice a mixture of relief and annoyance as he disconnected the call. He and McGarrett were dashing inside the Five-O Headquarters as he spoke. "Step Stan has taken Grace and Rachel farther inland, which is good. He paused, "what's bad is that it's at the Oahu Country Club".

McGarrett nodded. It's a sheltered area", he said "They'll be safe there".

"That's not the-!" Danny began to explode, but stopped when he realized not only his partner was right, he was only half paying attention. "You're right", he continued in a calmer tone. "The most important thing is that Grace is safe, even if I don't like the circumstances". He took a closer look at McGarrett. "Something's going on in there", he said, "and it's not this storm, and it's not the fact one of your ex SEAL friends tried to kill you. _Again_".

"It's complicated", McGarrett said, not looking at him as they walked down the hallway. They could hear muffled conversation coming out of one of the offices.

"Complicated", Danny repeated. "I've had glimpses inside your mind. It's not just complicated in there, it's dark and scary. It's—"He stopped short when they reached the doorway to the office where the conversation was coming from. A quick glance at his partner caught the briefest of flickers of relief in the man's hazel eyes.

Inside, seated comfortably around a large table were Keka, Cody, Kono Kalakaua, and Chin Ho Kelly. The two women were engaged in conversation like two long time girlfriends. Chin noticed the two men enter the room and rose quietly to stand beside them.

"Kono insisted on taking their statements herself", he said, smiling. "She's been keeping her inner fan girl in check for the last hour". The three men shared a quiet chuckle that was overheard by the rest.

"I was wondering what happened to you after you left the circuit, Kono", Keka said. An impish expression crossed her face. "Sometime, when your boss can spare you", she continued, glancing at McGarrett, "you can come to my school and talk to the students about going pro. Cody gets too tongue-tied".

The conversation turned into good natured teasing from there.

_Complicated doesn't even begin to cover this_, Danny thought to himself.

To Be Continued…?


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note**_: Here it is, Part 2. Thanks to all who asked for this & don't worry, this is part of a set up for Part 3, which is in the works. All characters except three belong to CBS and 101st Street Productions, and remember, flames are still going to be used to roast the pork for the luau…

Riders on the Storm, Pt. 2

Unala was still playing games with the weather forecasters, so the team was still needed to help with the evacuation from the low-lying areas. It was decided that Keka Knighthorse and Cody would be safest staying at the team's headquarters, and Kono volunteered to stay behind with them.

"I can't just sit here", Cody said, fidgeting as he sat at the table.

"You can't go out in the middle of this, either", Kono replied. "No one other than law enforcement is outside right now". She looked over to where Keka sat silently, looking out a window at the storm. "You ok?" She asked.

"Yeah", the blond woman replied, smiling. "Yeah, I'm fine". She shifted in her seat. "But a ladies room would be a good thing".

Kono smiled. "There's one just down the hall", she said. "Come on, I'll show you". She looked at Cody. "You stay put".

The two women made their way to the restroom, chatting amiably. "How long have you known McGarrett?" Kono asked at one point.

"A long time", the blond woman replied, smiling. "We went steady in high school, until he got shipped off to Annapolis". Her smile became sad. "That was right after his mother died. She was killed by a drunk driver".

"No", Kono shook her head. "It was a car bomb that killed her. We're still trying to figure out who planted it". Her brown eyes widened in shock as she realized what she had said.

Keka leaned back on the line of sinks, stunned. "When", she began, then stopped and started again, her voice quiet. "When did you find this out?"

"He just found out not too long ago", the dark haired woman replied. "Only the team and Mary know about it. Don't tell him I told you, please".

Keka shook her head. "I won't", she said. She thought for a few moments. "That explains so much", she said finally, her voice quiet, almost as if she was speaking to herself. "Oh, my god…It explains everything." She looked up at Kono. "Let me give you a little woman to woman advice", she continued. "Never marry out of spite. It never turns out the way you think it would".

When the two women returned to the conference room, Cody was on his phone in an urgent conversation. "Where _are_ you, bro?" He swiped a hand across his head, loosening the bandanna there. "And you couldn't have told me sooner?" As he was listening, he looked up and saw the two women, and added, "Hang on, I've got an idea". He lowered the phone and said, "It's my brother, Gabe, he's stuck in a beachfront condo about 3 blocks from here. It's one of those without a second floor and it's right on the beach".

Kono nodded as she reached for her cell phone. "Let me call the boss", she said. "They could be able to pick him up and bring him here".

A look of relief washed over Cody's face. "Thanks", he said, "I'd appreciate that". He brought his phone back up to his ear. "Gabe", he said. "Hang tight. I've got someone coming after you".

A short time later, they were joined by Chin, Danny and McGarrett, followed by a taller man in the conference room. "They've given the order to keep everyone indoors", McGarrett said as soon as he entered the room. He paused as the taller man brushed past him to where Cody was now standing and gave him a fierce hug.

After they broke the embrace, Cody said, "Thanks for picking him up, guys".

"Not a problem", Danny replied, smiling.

Gabriel St. James was easily the tallest man in the room, with light brown hair that was past his collarbone and green eyes that twinkled mischievously. He was dressed in jeans and a light blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing muscled forearms.

Keka glanced at Kono, and then smiled. "Yes", she said quietly. "He's a male model, and a semi-pro surfer. He's also single. I think". She lifted her chin towards him, "Hey Gabe" she said, "what brings you to our parts?"

"Hey, Teach!" Gabriel said, grinning as he crossed to where she stood and swept her off her feet in a bear hug. "I got in yesterday for a shoot, and they cancelled it this morning because of this storm. So, I thought I'd give my big brother a call and see what's up". He set Keka down lightly and looked at the woman standing next to her. "Kono?" He said quietly. "Kono Kalakaua? Wow, never thought I'd meet you in a police station slash storm shelter". He held out his hand to her, "I'm Gabriel St. James".

During the sweetly awkward moment of introduction, Keka looked over at Cody and smiled, then her gaze drifted to where McGarrett stood next to him.

That look. She didn't say a word, but that look in her eyes took him back to when he was sixteen years old, and he had just told her his mother had died. She didn't leave his side that entire night, and he learned that there was more than one form of comfort. Now she had that same look, and he realized that despite the time passing, his feelings for her had never really changed. Things were about to get more complicated. He mentally shook himself and said, " We should get into one of the inner rooms. It would be safer". He watched as they all then made their way across the hall to another conference room that faced the courtyard of the building.

They could all hear the storm intensifying outside, and watched the trees sway violently even in the relative shelter of the courtyard below. "It sounds like it's getting closer now", someone said.

McGarrett looked out the window, then to his team. He pulled out his cell phone and punched a number. "This is Lt. Commander Steve McGarrett of 5-O calling. What's the status of Unala?" He listened for a moment, then frowned. "Say again? We're losing the connection". He listened and his frown got deeper. "Thank you". He disconnected the call and looked at the group. "The Weather Service is saying that Unala's eye wall is going to get within 20 miles of where we are", he said. "The building here is secure, but it's going to be a rough ride". His last statement was underscored by the sound of breaking branches outside as the rain began pelting down even harder than before. "I'm going to go down to my office and get the satellite phones". He nodded once then left the room.

A moment later, Keka got up from her seat and headed for the door. "Where are you going?" Cody asked.

The blond woman stopped in the doorway and turned to face him. "I need to use the ladies room", she said, then looked at Kono and smiled. "I can find it by myself this time".

"Don't get lost!" Danny called out as she left.

McGarrett moved into his office and crossed to the cabinet where he kept the satellite phones, barely hearing the soft footfalls that stopped at his doorway, but there was no mistaking the scent of pikake. He stopped what he was doing and straightened up, turning to face her.

She stood leaning lightly against the doorjamb, watching him with a slight smile on her face. Even as tired as he knew she probably was, she was still beautiful. "Come in", he said quietly.

She walked into the room and gave it a onceover, then smiled. "Nice office", she said, smiling. "It suits you".

"Yeah", he replied. "I was surprised at how well it turned out. I—" He was interrupted by a loud crash outside as a rumble of thunder rolled overhead and a good-sized tree branch crashed to the ground outside. Keka gave a small squeal of fright and he was at her side in an instant. As he took her in his arms, he felt her shaking. He remembered then how much she hated storms, having survived the last big hurricane to hit the islands."It's ok", he found himself saying quietly in her ear. "It's ok. You're safe". There was a flash and another loud crash of thunder, and he felt her slide her arms around his waist and pull him closer. The lights flickered and he continued to whisper calming things to her. Another crash of thunder and the lights went out completely, and she whimpered. "I'm here", he said softly. "I'm right here". He sensed more than saw her look up at him, and leaned down until his lips found hers and began to kiss her.

A few moments later, a series of emergency lights came on and they broke the kiss. "We", Keka began, slightly breathless, "have a problem".

The two made their way back to the room where the others were, with McGarrett carrying the satellite phones. Cody immediately went to Keka and hugged her. "Are you ok?" The dark haired man said. "When the power went out, I was sure you'd be freaking out".

"Yeah", Keka said, smiling weakly. "I froze in the hallway, but Steve found me and walked me back here".

"She was leaning against the wall when I found her", the dark haired detective said. "She's always been freaked out by storms".

"That's what happens when you survive a major hurricane going over your head", the small blond woman said with a weak laugh. She leaned against Cody's chest, but her ocean colored eyes remained fixed on McGarrett.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note**_: Well, here it is. Thanks to all of you for your patience and your encouragement. It might say "complete", but you can probably guess it's not the end. Not by a long shot. All the characters but three belong to CBS and 101st Street Productions. And yeah, flames are still needed for the luau, only this time there might be S'mores and Tiki torches involved…

Riders on the Storm, Pt. 3

The hurricane continued to intensify as the night deepened. The group passed the time by swapping amusing stories from their pasts.

"The only thing missing here", Danny quipped at one point, "is the campfire". He looked quickly at McGarrett who sat next to Keka and Cody. "Do _not_ get any ideas!"

"Wouldn't be a good idea", McGarrett replied solemnly. "The ventilation isn't good enough in here".

"It would be even better if we had some S'mores", Gabriel said.

"S'mores?" Danny repeated, puzzled.

Gabriel looked at the blond detective like he was an alien. "You've never heard of S'mores?" He asked. The detective shook his head. "It's a toasted marshmallow between two pieces of chocolate bar and two graham crackers".

"I haven't had those since I was in Boy Scouts", McGarrett said.

"Oh, it hasn't been _that_ long, Steve", Keka said with an impish grin.

The dark haired man looked blankly at her for a moment, and then smiled. "Oh, yeah", he said. "That's right".

"Are you two going to share with the rest of the class?" Cody asked.

"No", the small blond woman replied, kissing the surfer on the cheek. "Not this time".

Talk then turned to trying to get some rest for what was left of the night. A watch was set, and one by one, the rest drifted off to sleep.

McGarrett had drawn the last watch before dawn, and in the last hour, the relative quiet of the sleeping group was broken. It took him a moment to recognize the sound, and then find its source: Keka was stirring fitfully in her sleep, making small, fearful sounds. He was by her side in an instant, and reached for her, just as Cody woke and did the same. The two men locked gazes, not speaking, until between them, Keka woke.

She sat up and looked from one man to the other, sensing the tension between them. "I'm fine guys", she said quietly. "And if you two don't stop staring daggers at each other, it's going to be the _least _of your problems" She got up, stretched and quietly left the room.

When Keka returned, the rest of the group was waking up. "Is it wishful thinking", she asked, "or is it actually calming down out there?"

After listening for a moment, McGarrett nodded, "I think you're right", he said. "It does sound a little quieter".

"How can you tell?" Gabe asked.

McGarrett didn't reply, but went to a nearby window while pulling out one of the satellite phones. He listened for a few moments, then disconnected. "The eye passed south of here two hours ago", he said. "We're on the back side of it now". He looked at the group. "Just a few more hours".

"A few more _hours_?" Cody echoed.

Hours passed more slowly and tension seemed to rise more easily as the day wore on. At one point, Cody stood up and said, "Would anybody object if I went for a walk?" He looked at McGarrett. "I won't go outside, just around the hallways".

The commander nodded. "Might be a good idea", he said. "But none of us should go out alone. I'll go with you".

After they had left, Danny said, "Is it just me, or does that look like a really bad idea?"

"It's a really bad idea", Keka replied, still looking at the door. "But a worse one would be to follow them".

A short time later, the rest of the group was in the middle of a discussion about the best local surfing spots, when Kono suddenly stopped talking and cocked her head. "Do you guys hear that?" She asked.

Everyone stopped and listened, and Keka nodded. "Yeah", she said, after a moment. "Sounds like someone arguing".

At that moment, there was a loud thump on an inner wall.

"That wasn't something falling outside", Chin said, standing up and heading towards the door.

The others followed him and stepped into the hallway, where they found the source of the noise, just in time to watch as Cody slammed McGarrett into a wall. There was a moment of stunned silence from the onlookers as they watched the two men continue to fight. It was broken by a curse from Keka as she moved to get between the two larger men.

"Keka!" Danny yelled, "Wait!"

She didn't seem to hear the shouted warnings as she grabbed both men by their shirts. "What in the _hell _do you two think you're doing?" She shouted at them as Danny and Chin grabbed McGarrett and Gabriel pulled at his brother. "Wait, I don't want to know". She looked up from one man to the other and saw the various cuts and bruises. Different emotions roiled across her face for a moment, then she let go of them with a snort of disgust. "You two belong in the brig", she said, then stalked off.

Danny looked up at Gabriel. "Take your brother over to that room", he said, gesturing with his chin to a room behind them. "I'll be with you in a minute". He then helped Chin lead McGarrett away.

Kono found Keka in the ladies room, leaning against the row of sinks and crying. She went to the smaller woman's side and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Are you ok?" She asked quietly.

Keka nodded, calming herself. "Yeah", she said, sniffling. "Yeah, I'm ok". She sniffed again, and Kono disappeared into a stall for a moment, and then returned with a handful of tissue which she handed to her. "Thanks". She said, wiping her eyes and then blowing her nose. After she disposed of the tissue, she tested the water in the sink and quickly splashed her face with cold water. Toweling off, she said, "I should have seen this coming. It was building for a while". She sighed. "Having two SEALs fighting over you is not all it's cracked up to be", she continued. "Right now, I feel like slapping them both silly". She paused, "but I'd have to get them both on their knees to do it properly".

The mental image caused both women to giggle. "Come on", Kono said, recovering. "I can't help you with McGarrett, but Cody's in a lot of trouble now".

"Yeah", Keka agreed. "Steve was his superior officer".

A short time later, the two women entered the room where Danny and Chin were talking to McGarrett, who was seated on the table between them, being patched up. They looked up when the women approached, and Keka hung back by the doorway.

"I'm sorry, Steve", she said quietly, focusing only on him.

"It isn't your fault, Keka", McGarrett replied firmly, his tone indicating he wouldn't accept any argument.

She nodded, and then looked at Danny. "Where are Cody and Gabe?" She asked.

"They're in a room across the hall", the blond detective replied. "And your boyfriend may or may not be in a lot of trouble", he finished, glancing at his partner.

"Oh, at this moment", Keka said, "Assault charges would be the _least _of his problems". She ducked out of the doorway and disappeared for a moment. When she returned, she had a puzzled expression. "You said the room across the hall, right?"

"Yeah", Danny replied. "They should be there".

"There's no one in there", the small blond woman continued. She paused for a moment, "And the wind has definitely died down".

They listened, and the relative silence seemed to descend on them. A moment later, Danny said, "We'll check it out. _You _stay put", he added, looking at McGarrett. "Please".

"It's ok, Danny", Keka said, smiling slightly. "I'll make sure he stays put".

After the others had left the room, the blond crossed to where McGarrett still sat on the table and picked up a pad soaked in alcohol. "I think this is the part where I'm supposed to ask you if there's anywhere on you that _doesn't _hurt", she said quietly as she began to dab at the places where his skin had been broken. She winced reflexively as she heard him suck in a breath.

"It's not that bad", McGarrett replied. "He didn't break anything".

"He sure bruised a lot of places, though", Keka replied, placing a bandage over the wound.

"He missed this spot", he said, holding up his right elbow, an impish grin forming. Keka giggled, and then placed a light kiss on his elbow. "And he missed here", he continued, pointing to his forehead. She placed another light kiss on the spot. "But he did manage some damage here", he finished, pointing to where the corner of his mouth had been split.

"I am _not_ Marion Ravenwood", Keka chuckled quietly, leaning close to him.

"No, you're not", McGarrett replied, also quietly. "You are much braver and _much_ more beautiful". He closed the small gap between them and kissed her softly.

They both heard the approach of the team and broke the kiss quickly, with Keka going back to tending McGarrett's wounds.

"They're not anywhere in the building, boss", Chin said as they entered.

"His Jeep's gone from the parking lot, too", Danny added.

"Alright", McGarrett replied, switching mental gears "put a BOLO out on him".

Keka sighed and ran a hand over her face. "No need to do that", she said. "I'm pretty sure I know where he went".

On a west facing beach not far south of what was known as the Banzai Pipeline, they spotted a lone figure watching the huge waves break on shore.

"Gabe!" Keka shouted, running towards him. "Gabriel!" She reached his side, but stopped short of grabbing him, seeing the expression on his face. "He went out there, didn't he?" She panted.

The tall man nodded slowly, tears forming in his eyes. "I couldn't talk him out of it", Gabriel replied. He looked down at her. "He didn't blame you or him", he continued, nodding towards McGarrett.

"Did you see him wipe out?" Danny asked.

"No", Gabriel replied, "but I haven't seen him for the last five minutes, either. He's just…gone".

"He could be anywhere from here to Makaha by now", Kono said as she moved to stand on the other side of Gabriel and watched the waves. She placed a gentle hand on his arm. "I'm sorry", she said softly.

Keka's legs buckled at that moment and she began to collapse, but McGarrett caught her before she reached the wet sand and eased down to a kneeling position. "Keka", he said quietly, then repeated her name. "You still with me?"

Her ocean colored eyes fluttered open. "Right now", she replied. "That is a very loaded question".


End file.
